For what it’s worth, Fleming was at first very opposed to Connery playing James Bond on the screen, he considered Connery to be “uncouth” and too rough around the edges, the very antithesis of his character and he wanted a more suave British actor like Cary Grant or David Nivan (although both of them would have been way too old for the role at the time). But after Dr. No, Fleming very much warmed to Connery and even incorporated some aspects of his film portrayal into the books that followed, including being a Scotsman, something that was not part of or even mentioned in the earlier Bond books. But then again Connery was the only Scottish actor to play Bond. Evidently this is something that Rush is too lazy to have researched before spouting off his mouth.
IMO, people need to separate the portrayal of fictional characters on the stage and screen - big screen and small from the portrayal of real life, historical persons. But then again, all acting involves some suspension of belief.
For instance Connery did a great job playing the Russian submarine captain in The Hunt For Red October, but although his “Russian accent” was pretty bad it didn’t take long for me to get over it. But it was certainly not as bad as the on and off and on again very bad British accent that Kevin Costner attempted in Robin Hood Prince of Thieves. And speaking of that rather abysmal movie, one of the few bright spots as far as acting, aside from Alan Rickman, was Morgan Freeman as Azeem. Sure, that might not have been “historically correct” but then again the whole movie was a farce as far as historical accuracy, the movie was still “fun” if one wasn’t looking for historical accuracy in a film about a person who may or may not have actually existed in the first place. Many film buffs like the 1938 version: The Adventures of Robin Hood, starring Errol Flynn as Robin Hood, but it was also not particularly “historically” accurate if one is considering the time period in which a Robin Hood may have lived. Personally I liked the Mel Brooks movie comedy Robin Hood Men In Tights more than any other version as it spoofed all the previous film versions and I just adore Cary Elwes ; ), “Because, unlike some other Robin Hoods, I can speak with an English accent.” LOL!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dX4Ik-cyp-I
And speaking of Freeman, his portrayal of “Red” in the Shawshank Redemption was brilliant although in the book, “Red” is not a black man but a redheaded Irishman, but then how many people even know that but still loved the film? And Jessica Tandy, who was born in England played alongside Freeman in Driving Miss Daisy although Tandy was neither Southern nor Jewish.
And speaking of English actors, the casting of a British actress as Scarlett in Gone With The Wind was not without controversy at the time and IIRC, but when we think of that fictional character, how many of us can imagine anyone but Vivian Leigh in that role? The producers originally wanted Bette Davis as Scarlett and Errol Flynn as Rhett Butler. Other actresses who lobbied for the role and were considered were Joan Crawford, Katharine Hepburn, Susan Hayward and Lana Turner. Ug!
Although Margaret Mitchell refused to publicly name her choice, the actress who came closest to winning her approval was Miriam Hopkins, who Mitchell felt was just the right type of actress to play Scarlett as written in the book but Hopkins was in her mid-thirties at the time and was considered too old for the part. Four actresses, including Jean Arthur and Joan Bennett, were still under consideration by December 1938; however, only two finalists, Paulette Goddard and Vivien Leigh, were tested in Technicolor, both on December 20. Goddard almost won the role, but controversy over her marriage with Charlie Chaplin caused Selznick to change his mind.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xmfLHXiAhA
And another British actor cast in GWTW was Leslie Howard who was cast as Ashley Wilkes but he didn’t even try to do a southern accent as neither did Clark Gable but on film, it works.
Didn't Niven play Bond James Bond in the original Casino Royale?